Antic Anagranimals: The Elephant

     Friend of the blog GFH kick-started this series, 

but as James Durante famously exasperated, 

"Everybody wants to get into the act!"

‘Leeph ant’ is the Urdu term

for insects who eat plants.

Planet He…? An asteroid

whose denizens wear pants.

     Ph: Ten Ale…? Hydrogen

now carbonates your beer.

T. E. Phalen…? Lawrence of Arabia’s 

late peer.

     “Leap, then!”…? What negotiators cry 

when jumpers bug ‘em.

Neat help…? Sibs agree to clean your room…

or else you’ll slug ‘em.

     The telePhan’s a telephone

in Saigon, Vietnam.

The elephant's an animal

with infinite aplomb.

Uly* Does William**Does Lewis***

     * Ulysses Poe. author of What A's Not For and other books of nonsense 

     ** William Blake, creator of "The Tyger"

     *** Lewis Carroll, composer of "The...Snark"

Boojum...? Boojum was a Snark…?

Snark’s now Boojum…{question mark}

Parts aortal gone awry…?

(Baker’ll find out by and by.)

 

Bellman navs with vacant maps.

(Is that Bellman mad…? Perhaps.)

What does ‘Boojum’ even mean…?

Who might fathom where it's been…?

 

“Sought with thimbles, sought with care.

Threaten’d with a railway-share.

Hunted down with forks and hope.

Charm’d, as well, with smiles and soap.”

 

What does Rev’rend Carroll think…?

Does the Rev’rend take to drink…?

Does to swine Lew cast these pearls…?

Has Lew quit on Liddle girls…?

 

Bellmen, Brokers, Barristers,

Bonnet makers (hims, not hers),

Brokers, Bankers, Boots…plus three.

(Snark does not begin with B.)

 

Boojum...? Boojum was a Snark…?

Snark’s now Boojum…{question mark}

Parts aortal gone astray…?

Hark! The Baker fades away…

Ulysses Does Frank* Does Lewis**: Yes! More...

      * Frank Loesser, composer of " Luck Be a Lady"

     ** Lewis Carroll, creator of "The Hunting of the Snark"

     Verse/refrain 

Snark! You’re a Boojum…? Wham-bam!

No one's more shock’d than I am.

I hunted you with forks and hope,

with smiles and soap and thimbles.

Snark! You’re a Boojum…? Hot damn!

 

     Verse/refrain 

Snark! You’re a Boojum....? Who knew?!

I’ve heard it thrice, so it’s true.

I threaten’d you with railway-shares.

With care – such care! – I sought you.

Snark! You’re a Boojum…? So: nu...?

 

     Bridge 

A Boojum’s taste is crisp and hollow.

It’s late. It’s slow. And (yes! I know)

a Boojum shows a fondness for bathing-machines.

It’s frumious! (Voila! Portmanteau!)

 

     Verse/refrain 

Snark! You’re a Boojum...? How swell!

Bellman! Start tinkling that bell!

I laugh'd with glee when first I heard you.

Then –alas! – I saw you.

"Snark! You’re a Booj…" (Bloody hell!)

Uly Does Theodor* Does Lewis**: More Poetical "Snark" Takes

     * Theodor Geisel aka Dr. Seuss, creator of "Green Eggs and Ham"

     ** Lewis Carroll, composer of "The Hunting of the Snark"

     Fit the Third: The Baker’s Tale

The ordinary Snark I like.

I like it when it's open mic.

I like it when it sings its song.

I like it when it sings it wrong.

 

The Snark turn’d Boojum I dislike.

(I much prefer the northern pike.)

No Boojum’d Snarks book'd 'board the Ark.

I do not like that Boojum’d Snark.

 

The customary Snark I like.

I like it like I once liked Ike.

I like its back. I like its front.

I like it ‘cuz it’s fun to hunt.

 

The Snark cum Boojum I can’t stand.

You'll spot few Snarks in Wonderland.

Snark’s claws will clutch, as well Snark's jaw’ll.

I Boojum’d Snarks don't like...at all.

Uly* Does Allan** Does Lewis***: Another Poetical Take on "Snark"

      * Ulysses Poe, author of Radon and/or Drano and other books of nonsense 

     ** Allan Odell, great-grandson of the founder of Burma Shave

     *** Lewis Carroll, composer of "The Hunting of the Snark"

Musician! Grab,

     Before it’s dark,

          Your tuba, for*

               To clock the Snark!

                    * Your two-by-four

 

                In Myanmar,

          Rohingyas rave,

     “Don’t lather me

With Burma Shave!”

 

Transsexuals

     Who’d sheckles save

          From barbers beg

               “A perm! A shave!”

 

               All Boojum’d Snarks

          Must misbehave.

     Thus fade all Bakers.

(Burma Shave!)

Uly Does Elizabeth* Does Lewis**: Another...

      * Elizabeth Barrett Browning, influential Victorian poet 

      ** Lewis Carroll, composer of "Snark" 

Whose hope's to hunt thee…? Liste'! I list their trades:

A Bellman with his tinkling bell, his map

whereon where islands (yours!) should sit...? A gap.

A Butcher, one adept with boner’s blades.

A Billiard marker of gynormous skill.

A Broker...and a Barrister to boot.

A Banker and a Beaver follow suit.

A Hood and Bonnet maker ends my bill.

But, wait! A Boots and Baker sail as well.

Required to hunt thee…? Ten plus two, ‘twould seem.

Yea! Five plus five supply an ideal team –

All prompted by that Bellman’s bloody bell.

They’d hunt you, Snark. Your wildwood could run rouge –

Until they'd heard the Baker's fading “...Boo-ooj…”

Uly Does e e* Does Lewis**: Another in a Series...

     * e e cummings, modernist free-form poet

     ** Lewis Carroll, composer of "The Hunting of the Snark"

 tell the bellman 

           who? tinkling his 

                             whatever? bell

{wherefore? beavers at

     tracting (how? butchers as weeee

                                                          ll)}

    matinsmorningnoon (after) dusk 

smorgas nigh(t) dark

                             b-initial'd 10

           when? join'd why?

hunt -- thus -- (a)n...

                                                     ...arC!

Uly Does Emily* Does Lewis**: Another in a Series of Alternate Poetical Takes on "The Hunting of the Snark"

     * Emily Dickinson, the Bard of Amherst 

     ** Lewis Carroll, composer of "The Hunting of the Snark" 

Because the Snark  -- a Boojum -- proves,

Don't Bakers fade away?

Do Bellmen -- as the Beaver does --

Find Nothing left to say?

Indeed! The Baker fades away.

(The Butcher -- with the Boots,

The Banker -- and the Bonnet maker -- 

Chooses diff'ring roots.)

The Billiard marker, Broker --

And the Barrister -- as well --

Fall short of Snark-Hunt Heaven

Whilst dodging Boojum Hell.

My eye, as well, spies Snark-Hunt Heaven --

Even little me!

I'll Bide my Time -- and Slant my Rhyme.

And Snark -- Eternally! 

The Sudbury Anagrammatist* Does Lewis**: Another in a Series of Alternate Poetical Takes on "The Hunting of the Snark"

     *Oulipian poet E. S. LePoussy

     ** Lewis Carroll, author of "The Hunting of the Snark"    

(If the) hunks rant, 

(open) Han's trunk.

('Twill be) Kahn's turn 

(for a) snark hunt.

Gelett* Does Lewis**: Another in a Series of Alternate Poetical Takes on "The Hunting of the Snark"

     * Gelett Burgess, poet famous for penning "The Purple Cow." 

     ** Lewis Carroll, composer of "The Hunting of the Snark."

Though Baker’s never hunted Snarks,

With Snark hunts Ho’s* okay.

When Snarks one day prove Boojums, though,

That’s when Hi* fades away.

     * "Hi" and "Ho" are two of several names 

by which the Baker is known.

Edward* Does Lewis**: One in a Series of Alternate Poetical Takes on "The Hunting of the Snark"

     * Edward Lear, purveyor of the Limerick  

     ** Lewis Carroll, composer of "The Hunting of the Snark."

Said a Bellman from heaven knows where

To his crew (B-initial'd), "Let's dare

To go hunting for Snarks!"

What Carrollian larks

Had that Bellman from heaven knows where!